Graham
Willoughby came to College Hill in October of 2012
with a wealth of rowing experience and knowledge and immediately
stepped in as the Freshman Coach, working directly with the
Bears’ novice oarsmen.

“Graham joins Judah Rome and
Steve Ouellette to form an experienced and outstanding coaching
staff which will foster our continued success here at the boathouse
and on the race course,” said head coach Paul
Cooke. “The goals we have for the program are
ambitious, and we are going to need depth of character and strength
of convictions to accomplish them. Graham had a vision for his
junior program and was able to accomplish his goals there. His
experience and dedication will help us continue to improve and
achieve success.”

Willoughby made an immediate impact
in the spring of 2013 as he coached the freshmen eight to a
runner-up finish at the Eastern Sprints and the IRA National
Championship.

Willoughby began coaching at the
Capital Crew Junior Rowing Club in Sacramento, Calif., as a hobby
while finishing his collegiate rowing career. In his two seasons as
varsity boys coach at Capital, he brought two boats to the Youth
National Championship, both earning silver medals.

In 2005, Willoughby joined the
Marin Rowing Association as the Freshman/Novice Coach and Boatman.
His rookie boat went undefeated for three years, and in 2008 his
athletes won the novice eight, the premiere event for first-year
rowers at the Southwest Junior Championship. In 2008, he became the
head coach at Marin. In his first year he led the team to a second
place finish in the lightweight men's eight at the Youth National
Championship, and a fifth place finish for the heavyweight eight.
The following year, after an undefeated regular season in the
southwest region, the heavyweight and lightweight eights both
finished second at Nationals. The following year both the
heavyweight and lightweight eights won Nationals, in addition to
undefeated seasons and a historic win at the Head of the Charles,
in which the Marin men set a course record that had not been broken
in 20 years. This season, the team repeated its triumphs, winning
the Head of the Charles and Nationals in both events once
again.

In addition to domestic coaching,
Willoughby spends his summers coaching internationally for the U.S.
Junior National Team. He was the coach for the U.S. men's eight
this summer, which finished in fifth place at World Championships
in Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Willoughby also continues to row
competitively, most recently finishing fourth in the masters eight
at the 2011 Head of the Charles.

Willoughby began rowing in 1995
with the Marin Rowing Association in Larkspur, Calif. He attended
California State University, Sacramento, majoring in criminal
justice. While attending Sacramento State, he was a member on the
men's rowing team, winning a regional championship in the varsity
four in 2001.

Willoughby and his wife, Amanda,
have two Border Collies, Kyak and Turtle.